INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ASTRONAUTICS 10th IAA SYMPOSIUM ON THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION: TOWARDS THE MOON VILLAGE AND BEYOND Torino, Italy, June 27-29, 2017 NASA’S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM: PROGRESS TOWARD THE PROVING GROUND Angie Jackman NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
[email protected] Les Johnson NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
[email protected] Abstract: With significant and substantial progress being accomplished toward readying the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for its first test flight, work is already also underway on preparations for the second flight – using an upgraded version of the vehicle – and beyond. SLS is the most powerful human-rated launch vehicle the United States has ever undertaken, and together with the Orion spacecraft will support human exploration missions into the proving ground of cislunar space and ultimately to Mars. This paper will provide a description of the SLS vehicle, and an overview of the vehicle’s capabilities and utilization potential. Keywords: Space Launch System, SLS, Orion, Mars, Payloads 1. INTRODUCTION Conceived and designed to enable exploration and discovery in deep space, NASA’s Space Launch System represents a transformative capability for a wide range of potential missions. The exploration-class launch vehicle’s primary purpose is to provide the foundational launch capability for human exploration of deep space, propelling humans beyond low Earth orbit for the first time in almost half a century, and then supporting previously-impossible missions farther into space than ever before, demonstrating new capabilities and ultimately enabling crewed landings on Mars. In providing the performance required for those tasks, SLS offers capabilities that are paradigm-shifting for spacecraft designers and mission planners, enabling architectures and mission profiles not currently possible.